Judge Tosses Trump-Era Lawsuit Over New York's Immigrant Driver's License Information
A federal judge dismissed a Trump-era lawsuit against New York's 'Green Light Law,' which limits sharing driver's license information with immigration authorities. The ruling is a major setback for federal efforts to compel state cooperation on immigration.
New York has scored a significant victory in its legal battle with the federal government over 'sanctuary' policies. A federal judge on Tuesday, December 23rd, dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit filed during the Donald Trump administration that challenged the state's law limiting the sharing of immigrant driver's license information.
The ruling sets a key precedent in the ongoing tug-of-war between federal immigration enforcement and the rights of individual states to control their own data.
The Ruling: No Federal Mandate to Share Data
In Albany, U.S. District Judge Anne Nardacci rejected the Justice Department's arguments that New York's "Green Light Law" unconstitutionally interfered with federal immigration enforcement. Judge Nardacci, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, stated that the administration failed to point to any federal statute that requires New York's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide applicant information to federal authorities.
The lawsuit was originally announced in February 2025. The DOJ argued at the time that the law was impeding its ability to address a "crisis of illegal immigration" and asked the court to block its enforcement.
Reactions: Celebration in New York, Silence from DOJ
New York officials celebrated the decision. Attorney General Letitia James hailed the ruling on social media, calling the original case a "baseless lawsuit."
As I said from the start, our laws protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe.
According to Reuters, the Department of Justice declined to comment on the ruling.
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